The present invention relates to a collapsible traffic barricade and safety marker device. In particular, the present invention provides an improved marker device formed by two pivotally attached members locked into operable position by one or more pivotally attached supports at the base of the marker device.
Every year traffic fatalities combine to take the lives of the thousands of motorists, pedestrians, and highway workers. The human toll and economic loss from these tragic incidents is staggering.
Particularly alarming are the growing numbers of fatalities among highway construction and maintenance workers. According to the National Work Zone Safety Clearinghouse, 693 highway workers lost theirs lives while on the job in 1997. The number highway worker fatalities has increased every year to nearly 1,100 fatalities in the year 2000 alone. (See, http://wzsafety.tamu.edu).
A number of devices are known in the art which are designed to improve the safety of highway construction zones for both highway workers and motorists alike. Portable warning markers, particularly cone and barrel shaped markers, have long been known and used in the prior art as roadside construction zone markers. While cone and barrel shaped markers are universally recognizable by motorists and pedestrians, their bulky shapes often make these devices difficult to store, transport, and to set up. Conventional safety cones, even when stacked, can be difficult to transport and still require large amounts of storage space.
A number of collapsible marker devices have been developed to address the limitations of existing highway traffic safety devices. Each of these designs has it own advantages and disadvantages. One persistent problem in art is how to design sturdy safety devices which still are compact and easily stored.
What is needed, are traffic barricades and safety marker devices that are sturdy and adaptable but which require a minimum of storage space and are easily transported.
The present invention relates to a collapsible traffic barricade and safety marker device. In particular, the present invention provides an improved marker device formed by two pivotally attached members locked into operable position by one or more pivotally attached supports at the base of the marker device.
In a preferred embodiment the present invention provides a traffic barricade and safety marker device comprising: a first substantially planar upright member having a longitudinal axis and a first and second opposing faces, wherein said first substantially planar member has a first base part attached to said first face of said first substantially planar member, and a second base part attached to said second face of said first substantially planar member, a second substantially planar upright member having a longitudinal axis and a first and second opposing faces, wherein said second substantially planar member has a third base part attached to said first face of said second substantially planar member, and a fourth base part attached to said second face of said second substantially planar member, a first hinge part attached to said first substantially planar upright member, a second hinge part attached to said second substantially planar upright member, wherein said first hinge part is pivotally engaged by said second hinge part such that said first substantially planar upright member and said second substantially planar upright member are pivotally attached such that said first substantially planar upright member and said second substantially planar upright member can be pivoted to perpendicularly orientate said first substantially planar upright member and said second substantially planar upright member in relation to one another about said longitudinal axis of said first substantially planar upright member and said longitudinal axis of said second substantially planar upright member to form an substantially cruciform operable traffic barricade and safety marker device.
It is understood that the present invention, is not limited, however, to any particular arrangement or orientation of members or hinge parts. Indeed, in a another embodiment, the present invention provides a traffic barricade and safety marker device comprising: a first substantially planar upright member having a longitudinal axis and a first and second opposing faces, wherein said first substantially planar member has a first base part attached to said first face of said first substantially planar member, a second substantially planar upright member having a longitudinal axis and a first and second opposing faces, wherein said second substantially planar member has a second base part attached to said first face of said second substantially planar member, a third substantially planar upright member having a longitudinal axis and a first and second opposing faces, wherein third substantially planar member has a third base part attached to said first face of said third substantially planar member, a fourth substantially planar upright member having a longitudinal axis and a first and second opposing faces, wherein fourth substantially planar member has a fourth base part attached to said first face of said fourth substantially planar member, a first hinge part attached to said first substantially planar upright member, a second hinge part attached to said second substantially planar upright member, a third hinge part attached to said third substantially planar upright member, a fourth hinge part attached to said fourth substantially planar upright member, wherein each of said first, second, third, and fourth hinge parts are pivotally engaged to one another such that said first substantially planar upright member, said second substantially planar upright member, said third substantially planar upright member, and said fourth substantially planar upright members are pivotally attached such that said first substantially planar upright member, said second substantially planar upright member, said third substantially planar upright member, and said fourth substantially planar upright member can be pivoted to perpendicularly orientate said first substantially planar upright member, said second substantially planar upright member, said third substantially planar upright member, and said fourth substantially planar upright member, in relation to one another about said longitudinal axes to form an substantially cruciform operable traffic barricade and safety marker device.
In another preferred embodiment, the traffic barricade and safety marker device of further comprises a first semi-rigid support member pivotally attached to said first base part of said first substantially planar upright member, and a second semi-rigid support member pivotally attached to said first base part of said second substantially planar upright member. In other of these embodiments, the traffic barricade and safety marker said first semi-rigid support member is further pivotally attached to said second base part of said second substantially planar upright member, and said second semi-rigid support member is further pivotally attached to said second base part of said first substantially upright planar member.
In yet another embodiment, the traffic barricade and safety marker device, wherein a first hinge part is positioned at the longitudinal axis of said first substantially upright planar member. Additional embodiments, provide for a traffic barricade and safety marker device, wherein a second hinge part is positioned at the longitudinal axis of said second substantially upright planar member.
The present invention is not intended to be to limited to any particular arrangement (or number) of hinge parts.
Certain embodiments of the traffic barricade and safety marker device disclosed herein provide a first semi-rigid support and said second semi-rigid support to stabilize the traffic barricade and safety marker device when operatively positioned.
In particularly preferred embodiments, the traffic barricade and safety marker devices are nested for easier transport and storage. In some of these embodiments, the devices are nested in a nose-up to nose-down to nose-up, etc. orientation. In other embodiments, the devices are nested in a nose-up to nose-up, etc. orientation. The present invention is not intended to be limited any particular orientation of stacking (or nesting). In some embodiments, the one or more of base parts are designed to provide fastener devices that releaseably engage when one or more device are stacked (or nested).
In preferred embodiments, the members comprising the traffic barricade and safety marker devices are substantially hollow. Still other preferred embodiments provide members having one or more cavities proving a transversely defined opening in the from the first face to the second face of a member. The present invention is not intended to be limited by the orientation or number of openings in members faces. Furthermore, the members can additionally be provided with additional hooks, handles, hangers, and the like, to help lift and carry the devices.
In preferred embodiments, the traffic barricade and safety marker device disclosed herein are painted or molded in a color selected from the group consisting of highly visible shade of orange, red, yellow, and lime green. Other highly visible colors and contrasting paint schemes (e.g., one or more vertical or horizontal stripes) are also specifically contemplated (e.g., black and white, and red and white).
In still other embodiments, one or more of the members (or base parts) that comprise the traffic barricade and safety marker devices disclosed herein provide one or more adaptable safety devices. The present invention is not intended to be limited by the type or number of adaptable safety device attached (or molded) to the devices. Indeed, adaptable safety devices suitable for use with the present invention include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following, flares, flags, lights, audible warning devices, chains, panels, signs, and vehicle tire deflators.
Additional advantages and embodiments of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art and intended to be within the scope of the present invention.